What is a Notary?

A Notary Public is a legal professional who provides authentication services to validate official documents if they are to be reviewed by legal authorities or official bodies in countries outside of England and Wales. 

A Notary Public’s work reflects the oldest and smallest branch of the legal profession. Appointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, a Notary Public holds several key responsibilities, not only to the person who has approached them for their signature, but also to anyone who may be relying on the validity and accuracy of the documentation. As such, a core part of the Notary’s role will be to carry out thorough checks into the documentation they are putting their signature to, which will include verifying the identity of the person seeking the Notary’s services. 

At DRN, we have a long and proud history of providing notarial services to clients across Lancashire. As there are fewer than 900 Notary Publics currently operating in England and Wales, DRN is one of the few firms in the Northwest able to provide notarial services. 

What kind of work does a Notary Public do?

A Notary Public may be required to verify and authenticate a range of legal documentation, including:  

Powers of Attorney (for use overseas)  Any documents relating to the purchase or sale of land and property abroad  Foreign Wills, and any documentation relating to the estate of a person who lives or owns property in another country  Immigration and emigration documentation, including any personal documents or identity verification Applications to marry abroad  Academic documents or certificates for professional qualifications Applications to work abroad  Travel consents  Company documents for international trade, including certificates which reflect the status of a company or the identity of its director(s)  Deed polls and change of name documents 

At DRN, we provide a professional notarial service for private and commercial clients. Our commercial notarial services include: 

Commercial Powers of Attorney  Property sales and purchases abroad  Company document certification Any documents required to open corporate offices and bank accounts in the UK or overseas  Identity verification  Documentation which supports international trade or reflects international transactions 

Most countries will accept a Notary’s signature and seal as validation and proof of the authenticity of a document, however some countries may require further ‘legalisation’ and verification of a document, and may request additional certification from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, known as an ‘apostille’. In such instances, the FCO will recognise the Notary’s authentication, so there isn’t usually any additional information required from yourself, however our solicitors are able to assist with this process should any further questions arise. 

Fixed-fee Notarial Services 

At DRN, we always aim to offer a fixed-fee service for all notarial work, the cost of which will be calculated in advance based upon the complexity of the task and the number of documents involved.

For further information about our notarial services, please contact Derek Lambert or Nick Dearing on 01282 433241.